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Shopping at GameStop
GameStop, at least in the United States, is one of the few large brick and mortar video game chains remaining in the age of online shopping. Going into one, especially alone or for the first time can be daunting. This particular article pertains to the GameStop found in the Walmart plaza on John Young Parkway but can also be applied to many other GameStops as they are often structured nearly identical from one another. The Layout Though the orientation and placement may change depending on the store itself, most of the time the layout remains the same. All of the games and occasionally most of the accessories to various consoles can be found lined up against the wall, grouped according to categories such as Playstation, Xbox, and Nintendo. It is also common for these stores to have a section for card game packs for games such as Pokemon TCG, Yu-Gi-Oh, etc. More recently in stores there is also typically a section along the wall dedicated to accessories and collectibles such as Funko Pops, journals, video game related toys and accessories, etc. In this particular GameStop there is a long table in the center that has cycling merchandise depending on what has been recently released, promotions, or what is particularly popular at the time. Membership At GameStop you have the option of becoming either a Player for free or Pro Member or (as of earlier 2017) an Elite Member for a fee of $14.99 and $29.99 per year respectively. It is not required to be a member to shop within the store but each level has a certain amount of perks available to it. You sign up for membership in store only and as a member, with each purchase you earn points (10 points per dollar the default as a Player with the amount per dollar increasing depending on your rank) that can be redeemed later for in store certificates, tickets towards sweepstakes, exclusive merchandise, etc. Player Membership Player membership is free and includes the following perks: * 10 points for every dollar spent * Birthday offers * Exclusive monthly offers Pro Membership Pro membership costs $14.99 per year and includes the following perks: * 20 points for ever dollar spent * Birthday offers * Exclusive monthly offers worth up to $50 * Buy 2 get 1 free pre-owned games welcome offer * 10% off pre-owned games and accessories * 10% extra trade credit on games, accessories, and tech * 12 issues of Game Informer Magazine * Exclusive Pro day sales with over $4,000 in annual savings Elite Membership Elite membership costs $29.99 per year and includes the following perks: * 30 points for every dollar spent * Birthday offers * Exclusive monthly offers worth up to $50 * Buy 2 get 1 free pre-owned games welcome offer * 20% off pre-owned games and accessories * 20% extra trade credit on games, accessories, and tech * 12 issues of Game Informer Magazine * Collectibles welcome offer * Free 2-day shipping with a minimum purchase of $35 Buying Games The main focus of any GameStop store is to sell their customers games for multiple systems, be they handheld, console, or even PC so, most customers come in from the main goal of buying or trading in video games. The nice thing about GameStop is that the games are sorted alphabetically so if you know the name and what system you are looking to buy your game for then it is just a matter of looking to the walls to the appropriate section and finding it along the wall. Pre-ordering games Sometimes players know that a certain game, console, or accessory will be in very high demand and can be likely to sell out in store quickly. GameStop gives players the option to pre-order a game before it's release by taking a minimum deposit of $5 along with an email address to look you up by in the system come the games release date. This can also essentially function as a layaway system as you can continuously come to the store prior to the release of the item and put more money down towards the total cost. Majority of the time, the workers will ask you upon check out whether or not there is a game you would like to pre-order and, if you're not sure of what is going to be released within the coming months, there is often a binder filled with lists telling you just that. Occasionally there is also the opportunity to receive exclusive pre-order bonuses for the item, be it in game content or a physical item to be collected and can be a nice perk for choosing to pre-order with GameStop. Buying used games At GameStop there is also the opportunity to buy pre-owned games that other players have traded into the store. This can be a good way to find games that are older or as a way to possibly find a game that you've been wanting for a cheaper price as opposed to buying it new. Aside from occasionally not having the original box that the game comes in or the manual, buying a used game is no different (content wise) than buying the same game new although it can be smart to shop around online as well to see if there is a used version of the item you are looking for available on sites such as Amazon for cheaper before purchasing. Depending on your membership level it is also possible to receive additional deals or discounts on used games. Trading in games One of the last draws to shop at GameStop is the ability to trade in old games, systems, and accessories in for cash or store credit. Although they generally don't accept items from very old console generations, such as for the Nintendo 64 for example, it can be a good way of getting value for your old games rather than just throwing them away. However, many do see the trade in system as a rip off due to just how little you can get back from trading games in to GameStop, sometimes getting less than a dollar back if you aren't a pro or elite member. Some may not see it as being worth it at all and take to selling the items on sites such as Amazon or eBay to get closer to what the item is actually worth.